Category Archives: Coffee & Art

Since being in New Zealand, I have been so inspired by the natural beauty of animal and nature, especially after four years living in Bangkok city, its quiet refreshing to say the least and I’m loving my new home.

Since November I have been settling in and adapting to my new routine and home. From buying in lots of new items for our home and sourcing out printers for my art and learning everything about the area we live in. Its been a huge change to living in Asia for 4 years. There’s a lot we take for granted, in our lives, and as humans we can get pretty comfortable. Our lives are run by routines and when something changes it can set us off balance for a while, even me.

I’m on my 8th year of traveling so I am getting used to change and I have learnt to adapt, its still not easy, but I don’t take anything for granted. I enjoy my life, but I still miss settling in and nesting. I know most of you who read this have a house with all your creature comforts? I do too, but it belongs to our landlord 😉 So my home is New Zealand for the next 6 months before we head back to our condo in Thailand. So all this is why I have been silent on the web front, but life is all go. I’m now selling my art at the Queenstown Saturday Market Earnslaw Park. So I have had a lot to organise and keep me busy with my stall, every week I’m adding to my stall, and i’m slowly getting there.

I have also done 4 new pieces of art, heres my second peace I created called “Majestic Deer” This peace is about the harmony between animal and nature. Here’s my inspiration behind the art.

Wisdom from the Deer

My deer mother and father have taught me grace and peace. My home, the forest, is magical and full of beauty. My parents taught me to be sensitive and intuitive and above to love life. My inner fawn is innocence and I dance in the magical mysteries of life. But don’t be fooled, behind my big loving eyes I have learnt the dance of vigilance, for my mind is always aware. In a heartbeat I can quickly change directions with grace.

If you seek the magic that is within me, come to the forest and learn to dance to the rhythm of the trees and together we can learn life’s mysteries and live in harmony.

Animal Guide

The deer are full of grace, peace, love and beauty. As a spirit guide the deer is associated with gentleness and grace. You have the ability to move through life and obstacles with grace. The deer keeps you in touch with your inner child, and innocence, always sensitive and intuitive. The vigilance of the deer comes the ability to change directions quickly. Welcome to the magical life of nature she/he holds the ability to regenerate, watch and learn living beside nature keeps you in touch with life’s mysteries.

Affirmation

Today I’m full of love and grace, I can see the beauty in nature and my soul is at peace. I have learnt the dance of innocence and vigilance and I can walk the path of Harmony most divine.

Sketchbook Dairies

This sunday at 3pm till 5pm I’m holding a 2 hour sketching session in the Earnslaw Park Queenstown. Come watch me draw or bring a sketchpad to learn some sketching techniques ITS FREE and a nice way to chill out on a sunday afternoon xxx

Hi guys, now that I’m here in Queenstown until March 2014 I thought it would be nice to sort out some FREE art classes in Queenstown. My first one is on this Sunday 24th November 2013. We will meet outside Patagonia chocolates at 3pm and move into the park for some sketching fun.

This is a great opportunity to bring your sketchbook and pencils along and learn to do some sketching. You can sketch what ever you like its all up to you. This weekend I will be working on some Kiwi bird art. So if you want to come along to watch or join in your more than welcome.

I will be there from 3pm till 5pm. As this Sunday is my first I will be finding out if I can arrange a place where we can meet if its raining. If you cannot make this weekend keep an eye out on my blog or website for future events.

I love cappuccino coffee, and what better away to pass the time, than to popping into my local Coffee Park shop at Srinakarin. On Monday evenings its Au Bon Pain Rainbow Hill, Thong Lor , while I’m waiting for my hubby to finish his training. Then its off to a nice little Italian down for dinner.

What I love about going to the coffee shop besides coffee and drawing is meeting you guys and being in a relaxing environment, listening to the mellow music. I often find people come up to me for a chat and see what I am doing, and sometimes I meet locals who I have seen, but never really chatted to before. Its a really lovely environment and makes for interesting day, I never know who I’m going to meet so its kinda cool. As I work from home, popping into the local coffee shop gives the opportunity to meet you, being around you gives me the chance of being part of the bigger picture and experiencing life on another level. Normally the only real time we meet you is when I exhibit at shows and galleries. Because of my traveling life style I don’t get much chance to do either of these activities like I used too, so my little outings to the coffee shop is a great way to meet you.

My Mermaid and her Octopus is my first coffee shop sketches. I really enjoyed working on this little design, its quiet a complicated piece as her hair and her octopus are weaving in and out of each other. Like most of my artworks I have an idea of what I want to create eg: a mermaid with a octopus, but apart from that I just kinda let it happen.

After finishing this piece my husband and I took a trip to Manila in the Philippines for an week long break to meet up with friends. So more about Manila, Typhoons, friends eating out being stuck in a Hotel and more “Sketchbook Dairies”.

I decided to call this work “Beautiful Sisters” I’ve been taking a break from my normal art works, just to bring some element of change back into my work. Over the last month I have been going to my local coffee shop to draw and get myself out of the condo and start meeting people. Normally I work from the condo and it can get pretty lonesome at times, as well as very stagnant, so these outings really do brighten up my day. Working more with sketches will really help me perfect my art, the more you draw the better you get. Sketches don’t take very long either. I’m loving my new routine and I’m making new friends and people I know are loving what I’m doing as they didn’t even know I was an artist. So its really cool to share this with them, and makes me feel good about myself and is confidence building 😉 I know you might be questioning me here about my confidence, but its true I really do need help sometimes, especially as I work alone a lot. The encouragement, advice and criticism helps me to grow as a person and perfect my art too. After all my art is really about inspiration from all directions, from you to me. Life would be pretty dull without it.

I know this particular sketch looks more finished to the eye, than a just quick sketch, but thats because I like to sketch lightly first using a H or HH pencil to get the feel for the composition, in this piece I get the feel for the flow whilst working in a harder pencil so I can figure out where I’m going with it. Once I’m happy I switch over to 2B or 6B pencils, because they are softer and darker I can shade in the details quite quickly. The more I’m sketching the more confident I’m feeling about taking on more complicated pieces.

For the foreseeable future I definitely want to get out more to sketch and I really want to get some classes going myself and teach others what I know and give something back to the world. I’m not sure where I can do this yet, but I’m hoping if I’m on the right path then maybe doors will open, either with a little help for me or you. Normally working on your own can be lonesome so this is an ideal opportunity to really meet new people, combining art and making new friends.

For the next 6 months I will be in Queenstown New Zealand, so if you fancy meeting up and having some art sessions, contact me here and I will let you know whats coming up.

If your interested in commissioning me to do a portrait for you then contact me here I also have a listing over on etsy for this particular sketch and there is also some more info on commissioning artworks.